Hibiscus rosa-sinensis plant named ‘Smiley Face’

ABSTRACT

A new plant variety of  Hibiscus rosa - sinensis  named ‘Smiley Face’, characterized by an intense red-orange bloom, spotted and splotched with yellow marks along the outer rime of the flower. It is a free-flowering plant with an upright, compact habit. The foliage is glossy and dark green.

Botanical classification: Hibiscus rosa-sinensis L.

Varietal denomination: The new plant has the varietal denomination ‘Smiley Face’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of Hibiscus rosa-sinensis L., which was developed in a controlled breeding program in Webster, Tex.

The genus Hibiscus comprises about 250 species of herbs, shrubs and trees in warm temperate and tropical regions; with leaves usually simple, mostly palmately veined, lobed or parted; flowers mostly solitary in the leaf axils but sometimes in racemes, corymbs or panicles. Hibiscus is included in the family Malvaceae, which comprises about 95 genera of herbs, shrubs and trees originating in tropical and temperate regions. Hibiscus rosa-sinensis is a glabrate shrub, seldom over 8 feet tall in cultivation, but treelike to 15 feet or more in tropical regions. Leaves to 6-inches long, ovate, usually serrate, mostly glossy green. Flowers solitary in upper leaf axils.

The new Hibiscus is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the inventor in Webster, Tex. The objective of the program was to create new Hibiscus selections with improved bloom quality, color and floriferousness, plants that can be commercially produced on their own root systems, and improved plant habit with regard to vigor and postproduction longevity.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The new variety was discovered in a controlled breeding program of Hibiscus rosa-sinensis and differs from its parents and other known cultivars of Hibiscus rosa-sinensis by the following characteristics in combination:

-   -   1. Upright, compact symmetrical plant habit that is suitable for         container production;     -   2. Healthy green foliage;     -   3. Vigorous growth habit;     -   4. An intense red-orange bloom, spotted and splotched with         yellow marks along the outer rim of the flower;     -   5. Free-flowering.

Asexual reproduction of the new variety by stem cuttings, performed in Webster, Tex. and Fulshear, Tex. have confirmed that the distinctive characteristics of the new variety are stable and transmitted to succeeding generations, and the new variety reproduces true to type.

COMPARISON WITH PARENTS AND OTHER CULTIVARS

‘Smiley Face’ is distinguished from its female parent ‘Morgan Alyssa’ (not patented) by having a different flower color combination: ‘Morgan Alyssa’ has dark red flowers with numerous white markings. Also, ‘Morgan Alyssa’ does not begin to bloom until it reaches a height of approximately 4 feet, while ‘Smiley Face’ will bloom in a #1 nursery container at a height of 12 inches. ‘Smiley Face’ is distinguished from its male parent ‘Jazz’ (not patented) by a lack of similarity in their flower colors and color patterns; flowers of ‘Jazz’ are orange with a metallic eye and a fuchsia halo, along with many yellow spots. Also, the flower color pattern of ‘Jazz’ is variable from bloom to bloom, while ‘Smiley Face’ has a bloom that is very consistent with its spotting and color. Also, the flowers of ‘Smiley Face’ have a heavier texture than those of ‘Jazz’.

Plants of ‘Smiley Face’ can be compared to plants of the cultivar ‘Golden Dust’ (not patented). However, in side-by-side comparisons conducted in Webster, Tex., plants of ‘Smiley Face’ differ from plants of the cultivar ‘Golden Dust’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Flowers of ‘Smiley Face’ are brighter in color than flowers         of ‘Golden Dust’;     -   2. Plants of ‘Smiley Face’ are easier to propagate via         vegetative cuttings than plants of the cultivar ‘Golden Dust’;     -   3. Plants of ‘Smiley Face’ possess healthier foliage and a         better growth habit than the cultivar ‘Golden Dust’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIONS

The accompanying illustrations show a plant of the new cultivar in a photographic illustration as true to color as is reasonably possible to make in an illustration of this character.

FIG. 1 illustrates a side perspective view of a typical plant of ‘Smiley Face’;

FIG. 2 illustrates the scale of a typical flower of ‘Smiley Face’;

FIG. 3 illustrates the typical young to mature foliage of ‘Smiley Face’; the abaxial and adaxial surfaces are shown at each stage; and

FIG. 4 illustrates a dissected flower of ‘Smiley Face’, including shape and size of petals and characteristics of the reproductive structures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW VARIETY

‘Smiley Face’ has not been observed under all possible environmental, cultural and light conditions. The following observations and descriptions are of plants grown in Fulshear, Tex., in November 2003, under polypropylene shadecloth providing a 30 percent light reduction, and under conditions which closely approximate commercial production. Plants described were approximately one year old and in a #3 nursery container. In this description, color references are to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart (2000) and terminology used in the color descriptions herein refers to plate numbers in this color chart. Phenotypic expression may vary with light intensity, cultural and environmental conditions.

CLASSIFICATION

-   Botanical: Hibiscus rosa-sinensis L. ‘Smiley Face’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female or seed parent.—Hibiscus rosa-sinensis ‘Morgan             Alyssa’ (not patented).         -   Male or pollen parent.—Hibiscus rosa-sinensis ‘Jazz’ (not             patented). -   Propagation: By stem cuttings. -   Time to initiate rooting: Approximately 14 to 21 days at 21-24 C. -   Time to develop roots: Approximately 42 to 56 days at 21-24 C. -   Root description: Fine to medium; fibrous; freely branching.

PLANT

-   Size:     -   -   Height.—Approximately 51 cm from soil level to top of             flowers.         -   Diameter/spread.—Approximately 60 cm. -   Form and growth habit: Perennial, evergreen shrub; mostly upright     and somewhat spreading. -   Branching: Freely branching; approximately 4 to 8 lateral branches     develop after pinching.     -   -   Lateral branches.—Approximately 15 cm long and 4 mm in             diameter.         -   Internode length.—Approximately 3 cm.

LEAF

-   Shape: Cordate.     -   -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Cordate. -   Leaf size: Approximately 8.5 cm long and 6 cm wide. -   Arrangement: Alternate, single; symmetrical. -   Margin: Crenate. -   Aspect: Undulate. -   Texture/substance: Glabrous, shiny. -   Coloration:     -   -   Young foliage.—Upper side: Near Green Group 137B. Under             side: Near Green Group 138B.         -   Mature foliage.—Upper side: Near Yellow-Green Group 147A.             Under side: Near Yellow-Green Group 147C. -   Venation pattern: Palmate.     -   -   Venation color, upper surface.—Near 147A.         -   Venation color, lower surface.—Near 147C. -   Petioles:     -   -   Size.—Approximately 2.5 cm long, 3 mm across.         -   Coloration.—Near Green Group 137A.         -   Texture.—Smooth. -   Hardiness: USDA Zone 10 (30° F. to 40° F.). -   Pests/diseases: Resistance to known Hibiscus diseases had not been     observed on plants grown under conditions approximating commercial     practices.

INFLORESENCE

-   Bloom period: Typically year-round under subtropical and tropical     conditions. -   Flower arrangement: Arranged singly at terminal leaf axils;     free-flowering with 3 to 4 flower buds and/or open flowers per     terminal apex; flowers face upright and slightly outward. -   Flower appearance: An intense red-orange bloom, spotted and     splotched with yellow; flowers are open for about two days before     closing; flowers persistent. -   Flower diameter: Approximately 14 cm. -   Buds (just prior to showing color):     -   -   Rate of opening.—Approximately 1 or 2 days, depending on             temperature.         -   Shape.—Elliptic.         -   Length.—Approximately 3 cm.         -   Diameter.—Approximately 1.2 cm.         -   Color.—Near Yellow-Green Group 144A. -   Fragrance: None noted. -   Petals:     -   -   Number/arrangement.—Corolla consists of 5 overlapping             petals.         -   Shape.—Spatulate with rounded apex.         -   Size.—Approximately 8 cm long and 8.5 cm wide.         -   Margin.—Entire, but ruffled.         -   Texture.—Smooth.         -   Color.—Upper Surface: The “eye” or throat starts at near Red             Group 46A and transitions to near Orange-Red Group N 30A to             N 30C throughout the rest of the petal; spotting along the             outer edge of the petals range from near Yellow-Orange Group             15B to 15C. Lower Surface: The majority is near Orange-Red             Group N34B, eventually fading to near White Group 155B at             the base of the petal; outer edges of petals are near             Yellow-Orange Group 15D. -   Sepals:     -   -   Number/arrangement.—5 sepals fused into a star-shaped calyx.         -   Shape.—Linear with acuminate apices.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Color.—Near Yellow-Green Group 144A. -   Peduncles:     -   -   Length.—Approximately 4 cm.         -   Diameter.—Approximately 2 mm.         -   Angle.—Upright to about 45 degrees.         -   Strength.—Strong, flexible.         -   Color.—Near Yellow-Green Group 144A.

REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS

-   Androecium:     -   -   Stamens.—Numerous; approximately 50. Stamen Length:             Approximately 5 mm. Filament Color: Near Red Group 48B.         -   Anther size.—Approximately 1 mm.         -   Pollen amount.—Abundant.         -   Pollen color.—Yellow-Orange Group 15A. -   Gynoecium:     -   -   Pistil length.—Approximately 7 cm.         -   Stigma appearance.—5, rounded.         -   Stigma diameter.—Approximately 2 mm.         -   Stigma color.—Near Orange-Red Group 34A.         -   Style color.—Lower half near Red Group 47A; upper half near             Red Group 47D. -   Seed production: Seed production has not been observed. 

1. A new and distinct variety of Hibiscus rosa-sinensis plant, named ‘Smiley Face’, substantially as shown and described. 